Multiple Pathways to Student Success: Envisioning the New California High School

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONTom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Multiple Pathways to Student Success: Envisioning the New

California High School

In Pursuit of Implementation

Educating for Careers

Focusing Education on the Future

Sacramento, CA

March 4, 2011

Tom TorlaksonState Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Definition

Within the context of AB 2648, a pathway is defined as:

A multiyear, comprehensive high school program of integrated academic and career technical study that is organized around a broad theme, interest area, or industry sector.


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CA’s 15 Industry Sectors

• Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Arts, Media, and Entertainment

• Building Trades and Construction

• Education, Child development, and Family Services

• Energy and Utilities• Engineering and Design• Fashion and Interior

Design• Finance and Business

• Health Science and Medical Technology

• Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation

• Information Technology• Manufacturing and

Product Development• Marketing, Sales, and

Service• Public Services• Transportation


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Findings: Issues Facing California

High School graduation requirements in EC do not meet actual admission requirements of many post-secondary institutions

Lack of rigor and relevant coursework leave many high school students unprepared for their next steps in their lives

High rates of dropouts and high numbers of 18-24 year olds who did not obtain a high school diploma


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Poor preparation for higher education; remediation required in mathematics and English at institutions of higher education

Business executives cite a lack of communication skills and problem solving skills along with a general lack of responsibility and work ethic

Persistence of the achievement gap; most particularly for Hispanic and African American students


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Create and Transform

New policies and practices that fundamentally change the orientation of the high school experience from one in which time is the constant and learning is the variable to one in which learning is the constant and time is the variable.


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Move to a mastery-based system

Adopt a project or problem-based curriculum and instruction

Focus funding on performance and not seat time

Embrace business and community involvement

Provide work-based learning opportunities that provide students with relevancy and reality to keep them in school


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Design pathways to ensure that all students have curriculum choices that will prepare them with the knowledge and skills necessary for:

Successful career entry immediately after high school

and

Successful participation and completion of education after high school, for example: two- and four-year colleges and universities, apprentice programs, formal employment training, and other postsecondary options


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Challenging Academics

Integrated Academic Core Curriculum

Depth of learning

High quality curriculum

High quality teaching


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Technical Skills

Integrated Career Technical

Core Curriculum

Depth of learning

High quality and validated by the industry

High quality teaching


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Work-based Learning

Series of Work-based

Learning Opportunities

High quality and validated by the industry

Transferability of skills

Internships

Apprenticeships

School-based micro businesses


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Student Support

Student Support Services

Informed student choice

Career counseling

Personalization and support in all areas

Developmentally appropriate

Linkages to middle school and opportunities

beyond high school


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A Vision for California High Schools

Move from a seat-time/course completion system to a system of student mastery of identified standards and performance benchmarks.

Transition from a four year graduation model to where students will graduate when they have demonstrated mastery within a rigorous program of study.

Mastery and student progress through high school would be measured locally utilizing multiple measures.

Revise the Ed Code to reflect the purpose of high school is to prepare every student for postsecondary and career success.


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Change the financing of high schools to an enrollment-based system and tie a portion of the funding to student graduation and retaining students in school.

Provide a statewide equitable amount of funding per each student enrollment.

Provide districts capped amounts of incentive funding for implementing dual enrollment/dual credit policies and programs and excelling in other critical areas of performance.

Utilize the current adult education funding to extend the availability of seamless learning opportunities from age 16 and beyond.


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Augment the accountability system to foster college and career readiness, increasing of graduation rates, and decreasing the number of dropouts.

Expand the measures included within the API to include completion of college entrance requirements, career technical education program completion and certification, school graduation rates, and student drop-out rates.

Develop college and postsecondary readiness indicators and annual targets.


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Expand curriculum and instruction options to support rigor and relevance within the high school system.

Require rigorous programs of study and individual learning plans for all students.

Provide districts the explicit ability to offer synchronous and asynchronous distance learning courses and programs.

Include interdisciplinary and problem-based learning strategies as a required element within the development of the curriculum frameworks.


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Consolidate the Career Technical Education (CTE) into a coherent system.

Modify the Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCP) legislated mission, structure, and functions to provide statewide systemic support to increase school district capacity to offer CTE and to support MPs.

Establish a required career preparation graduation requirement including mastery of career technical, personal career management, financial literacy, and digital literacy skills.

Increase opportunities and improve conditions for work-based learning for students and teachers.


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Improve the conditions to establish and expand Multiple Pathways/Linked Learning

Create a statewide MP/LL advisory board.

Provide start-up grants to schools adopting the MPs methodology utilizing the existing Specialized Secondary Program model.

Require all schools adopting the MPs model to include rigorous CTE instructional options within each year of high school.

Provide regional professional development support for MP/LL teachers, counselors, and administrators to improve the use of integrated rigorous curricula.

Incorporate problem-based pedagogies and other innovative instructional strategies as core competencies for any secondary teacher, counselor, or administrator credential.


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Policy Recommendations Shall

Support local decision making and flexibility to the fullest extent possible.

Promote innovation and systemic change to improve secondary education, and transitions of students among the segments, including middle grades, postsecondary education, and careers.


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Resources

California Careers Resource Network

California Dropout Research Project

California Partnership Academies

ConnectEd

Linked Learning Alliance

University of California Curriculum Integration (UCCI Institute)

West Ed


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Research and Reports Shaping our Work

Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic – Balfanz et al, 2010.

Pathways to Prosperity – HarvardGraduate School of Education, 2011.

Putting Middle Grades Students on the Graduation Path – Balfanz, 2009.

Solving California’s Dropout Crisis – Russell Rumberger, UC Santa Barbara, 2008.


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College Prep for All? What We’ve Learned from Chicago’s Efforts – Consortium on Chicago School Research, Christopher Mazzeo, 2010.

Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better – EdSource, 2010.

Multiple Pathways to Student Success: Envisioning the New California High School - California Department of Education, 2010.

Significant Discussions: A Guide to Secondary and Post-Secondary Curriculum Alignment – League for Innovation in the Community College, 2011.


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CalEdHub will . . .

promote strategies that make school meaningful for adolescents and young adults.

provide resources that support rigorous and engaged student learning.

emphasize the need for positive, productive, and accountable relationships.


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High School Transformation UnitCalifornia Department of Education

1430 N Street, Suite 4503Sacramento, CA 95814

George Olive, Education Programs [email protected] 916-327-5711

Darrell Parsons, Education Programs [email protected] 916-319-0481

Terrie Poulos, Education Programs [email protected] 916-319-0483

Documents

Multiple Pathways to Student Success: Envisioning the New California High School